Toy figurines have been and continue to be a stable source of amusement for children. Enhancements and features that spark a child's imagination and provide continued engagement of the toy figurine with the child add to its play value and build a bond between the child and the toy figurine.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,159,101 to Simpson (“Simpson”) discloses interactive toy products including a controller and a casing in the form of a figurine having one or more articulated limbs. Sensors detect movement of the limbs and use the detection as input to the controller to control a game playing activity. A screen, such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) screen, is set in the torso of the figurine. The screen displays a representation of the toy figurine, and movement of the articulated limbs of the figurine generates a corresponding movement of the displayed figurine. The screen may be provided with a cover, which may be configured as a piece of clothing, armor, or other equipment carried by the figurine, such as a breast plate. The breast plate provides protection for the screen. Here, only when the cover is removed from the figurine is the LCD screen visible to the child, so that the child may play the game on the screen. Because the screen is exposed, the Simpson product lacks the sense of “magic” and wonder from any lighting effects.